Director of Land Use

The Director will also lead important regional projects, participate in public programs and activities, mentor less experienced staff, and foster camaraderie among the team. Creating opportunities for shared learning and collaboration with other MAPC Departments are essential parts of the position.

Along with other Directors, the Land Use Director assists Executive Leadership in a collaborative effort to set agency goals, establish internal policies, manage the agency’s budget, and enable the agency’s work to meet changing needs of Greater Boston residents and workers.

The ideal candidate for this position has experience working in planning and policy in a large city, town, or metro region; demonstrated experience in leading a diverse team of professional planners; and a commitment to building a more sustainable, equitable, collaborative, and climate-friendly Greater Boston.

About MAPC
MAPC is the Regional Planning Agency (RPA) serving the people who live and work in the 101 cities and towns that make up Greater Boston. Our strategic priorities are sustainable development, regional collaboration, advancing equity, and fostering a climate-friendly region. We are guided by our regional plan, MetroCommon2050: Shaping the Region Together. MAPC’s staff includes approximately 120 full-time employees located in downtown Boston in a transit-accessible and bike-friendly office.

MAPC has a hybrid schedule, combining time in the office with remote work. Employees must reside within a commutable distance from MAPC’s Boston office.

MAPC strongly supports the professional development of each and every staff person, believing their growth to be consistent with the best interests of MAPC and the region. We encourage all our staff to develop new ideas to make MAPC’s planning and policy work more relevant and impactful, and to adapt to changing times.

This is an opportunity to work in a dynamic, interdisciplinary, and innovative environment with professionals who are committed to building a more sustainable and equitable future for everyone who lives and works in Greater Boston. For more information about MAPC or MetroCommon2050, please visit www.mapc.org. 

• Provide direct supervision, mentorship, and support for the three Land Use Division Managers. This includes overseeing recruitment and hiring, annual review process, and professional development of Land Use staff.
• In coordination with those Managers, establish a vision for the Department; provide strategic and managerial oversight, including development of annual work plans, budgets, project scopes, and prioritization of work; ensure that project scopes advance an equitable and sustainable region; and engage under-represented and marginalized groups the planning process.
• Work with the Division Managers to develop and scope innovative regional, multi-municipal, and local projects that advance the agency’s strategic priorities. including emerging practices to address changing needs.
• Support Managers in developing and operationalizing departmental practices, encourage Divisional collaboration and work with other Departments.

• Contribute to the production of deliverables (memos, plans, visions, regulations, etc.) through writing, editing, and review.
• When needed and appropriate, lead, or assist in, discussions with municipal officials regarding projects that are not progressing as originally scoped or may be facing other challenges.
• Provide input to Executive Leadership and Government Affairs Department on proposed state and federal legislation and policy changes, acting as a resource in land use policy discussions.
• Build external relationships with local and regional research partners, state agency officials, community and faith-based organizations, business associations, and allied organizations and advocates.
• Respond to questions from state agencies, municipalities, media outlets, allied organizations, and the general public.
• Prepare and make presentations about the agency’s work and policy priorities at meetings, conferences, public hearings, and other venues; conduct media interviews related to ongoing projects, state and local legislation or policies, and other topics.
• Assist Land Use staff in responding RFPs; preparing grant applications and project proposals; supporting fundraising activities in the Land Use Department and conducted by other Departments. 
• Contribute to the overall strategic direction and management of MAPC and prioritize the implementation of the Strategic Plan, through collaboration with the Executive and Deputy Executive Directors and other department Directors.

Evening events, occasional weekend events, and local travel are a responsibility for this position. MAPC does not require you to have a vehicle; however, you must have a valid driver’s license and/or the ability to arrange transportation to meetings in different parts of the region. MAPC provides support for travel, including MBTA passes, a Zipcar account, and BlueBikes membership.

Successful candidates will demonstrate all or most of the following:

• Demonstrated commitment to advancing equity in projects and policies across race, ethnicity, income, gender, and ability; desire to undo past land use policies that have advanced segregation and inequity; commitment to developing a region that is collaborative, sustainable, and climate-friendly.
• Strong interpersonal and personnel-management skills, as demonstrated by past experience managing a diverse set of individuals on a wide range of projects; an eagernesstomentorstaff,tohelpthemtoadvancetheirservicetothepeoplewho live and work in the region, and to achieve professional goals.
• Demonstrated strong multi-project management skills.
• Deep and diverse knowledge of land use issues facing the Boston metropolitan region, or a comparable region, relevant state and federal programs, and best practices for implementing positive change.
• Excellent writing and public speaking skills, and ability to provide public information and presentations related to land use planning issues.
• Strong desire to innovate and find new ways to address existing and emerging challenges; familiarity with outside forces and how those may impact the future of the region.

The salary ranges from $125,000 - $135,000 depending on qualifications and experience. This is a full-time exempt position. MAPC offers excellent Massachusetts state employee benefits as well as a flexible, supportive, and family-friendly work environment and continued professional development.

How to Apply: 

Apply online at www.mapc.org/jobs. The position is open until filled, and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume. Candidates selected to interview will be asked to submit three (3) references plus a sample of relevant writing or work product. Candidates must have legal authorization to work in the USA and a valid driver's license and/or the ability to arrange transportation to meetings in different parts of the region. MAPC participates in E-Verify, which is a federal program that helps us to determine work eligibility in the United States. A Criminal Offenders Records Information (CORI) request must be completed if offered this position. However, a criminal record is not an automatic bar to employment but will be reviewed in relation to the job applied for. MAPC participates in E-Verify, which is a federal program that helps us to determine work eligibility in the United States.  
  
MAPC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe that a staff with a range of perspectives, experiences, and skillsets strengthens our work. We are committed to building a more equitable workplace that allows staff with diverse backgrounds and identities to thrive, grow, and lead. For more information on MAPC’s culture of equity, see our Equity at MAPC page.